when was the battle of salamis

In the early morning of 22 September 480 BC, high above on the shoreline of Attica, King Xerxes watched as his fleet tightened the noose on the Greek ships. As at Artemision, the wooden ships of the combined Greek fleet had, for a second time, rebuffed the Persian advance. Trireme Hull with Bronze Ramby Magnus Manske (CC BY-SA). Greeks and Persians. [22], Initially the 'congress' agreed to defend the narrow Vale of Tempe, on the borders of Thessaly, and thereby block Xerxes's advance. However, he also says that other Greeks denied this story. [107] Herodotus recounts the legend that as the fleet had backed away, they had seen an apparition of a woman, asking them "Madmen, how far will ye yet back your ships? It proved to the Greek world that a democratic system could defeat an autocratic power and is widely regarded as the 'turning point' of the Persian War. It seems probable that the Persians would not have attempted this unless they had been confident of the collapse of the Allied navy, and thus Themistocles's subterfuge appears to have played a key role in tipping the balance in the favor of the Greeks. The route to southern Greece (Boeotia, Attica and the Peloponnese) would require the army of Xerxes to travel through the very narrow pass of Thermopylae. He counted them at break of day— During the day the … The battle would take on mythical status amongst the Greeks, but in reality it was merely the opening overture of a long war with several other battles making up the principal acts. [50] Thus it has been supposed that the difference between the numbers is accounted for by a garrison of 12 ships left at Aegina. [135] A significant number of historians have stated that Salamis is one of the most significant battles in human history (though the same is often stated of Marathon). Herodotus clearly believed that the Persian fleet actually entered the Straits at nightfall, planning to catch the Allies as they fled. 480 BC. Eurybiades, the Spartan commander, officially led the force. In Athens, however, the ambassadors were put on trial and then executed; in Sparta, they were simply thrown down a well. Many of the Persian forces had been recruited from landlocked regions and couldn’t swim: vast numbers died … Both were designed to get one’s ship in a position to ram the weakest point of the enemy - the side or stern quarter. Please support Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation. Ancient History Encyclopedia. 17 Jan 2021. To avoid damaging one’s own oars, crews were drilled to withdraw them in a matter of seconds (usually on only one side of the ship whilst the other side maintained the momentum of the vessel). [52], According to the Athenian playwright Aeschylus, who actually fought at Salamis, the Greek fleet numbered 310 triremes (the difference being the number of Athenian ships). [91] The source of this heaviness is uncertain; possibly the Allied ships were bulkier in construction, or that the ships were waterlogged since they had not been dried out in the winter (though there is no real evidence for either suggestion). Adeimantus of Corinth & the Battles of Artemisium & Salamis [99] However, modern historians have greatly debated this point, with some pointing out the difficulties of maneuvering in this confined space by night, and others accepting Herodotus's version. This allowed the Persians to conquer Phocis, Boeotia, Attica, and Euboea. The Ancient History Encyclopedia logo is a registered EU trademark. [51] According to Herodotus, two more ships defected from the Persians to the Greeks, one before Artemisium and one before Salamis, so the total complement at Salamis would have been 373 (or 380). It resulted in a decisive victory for the outnumbered Greeks. [141], On March 17, 2017, archaeologists announced that they had uncovered the partially submerged remains of the anchorage used by the Greek warships prior to the Battle of Salamis. O divine Salamis! [82] Herodotus tells us that Xerxes held a council of war, at which the Persian general Mardonius tried to make light of the defeat: Sire, be not grieved nor greatly distressed because of what has befallen us. [67] Aeschylus, who fought at Salamis, also claims that he faced 1,207 warships there, of which 207 were "fast ships". The Greek city-states of Athens and Eretria had supported the unsuccessful Ionian Revolt against the Persian Empire of Darius I in 499-494 BC, led by the satrap of Miletus, Aristagoras. Naval. [9][10] Darius also saw the opportunity to expand his empire into the fractious world of Ancient Greece. (2000) The Athenian Trireme: The History and Reconstruction of an Ancient Greek Warship Second Edition. However, he writes that the next year, the Persian fleet numbered 300 triremes. [33] He eventually won through, and the Allied navy remained off the coast of Salamis. Democracy would not have existed if the Greeks had not fought and won this sea battle. From there, manoeuvres could be signalled to other ships in the fleet using flags and trumpets. Then the armed soldiers on board would have come into their own with hoplites and archers fighting on the decks much as in a land battle. These extra troops came into their own when at close quarters with the enemy and in the case of boarding an enemy vessel. Triremes had a weakness in that they could only operate effectively in relatively calm seas with waves less than 1 m high; otherwise, water would enter via the oar-ports and flood the ship. In open water, the ships could be organised in a defensive circle or an arc (more practical with larger fleets) with prows pointing outwards (kyklos). The vast Persian Empire stretched from the Danube to Egypt and from Ionia to Bactria, and Xerxes was able to draw on a huge reserve of resources to amass a huge invasion force. Furthermore, to prevent the Persians bypassing Thermopylae by sea, the Athenian and allied navies could block the straits of Artemisium. It had the power to send envoys asking for assistance and to dispatch troops from the member states to defensive points after joint consultation. [39] Xerxes evidently took the bait, and the Persian fleet was sent out that evening to effect this block. [92], The Persians preferred a battle in the open sea, where they could better utilize their superior seamanship and numbers. Ariabignes, the son of Darius, commanded the Ionian, Carian, Achaimene, and Egyptian fleets. [39] That evening Themistocles attempted what appears to have been a spectacularly successful use of disinformation. The Persians had moved into position overnight, hoping to surprise the enemy, but this strategy was unlikely to be successful considering the short distances involved and the noise made by the rowers. [95][96] The Allied fleet probably formed into two ranks, since the straits would have been too narrow for a single line of ships. By the first years of the 5th century BCE, the Persian Achaemenid Empire, under the rule of Darius I (r. 522-486 BCE), was already expanding into mainland Europe and had subjugated Thrace and Macedonia. Konstantinos Volanakis’ painting ‘The Naval Battle of Salamis’ (1882, oil on canvas), which belongs to the Hellenic Navy. Prior to the battle the Greek ships were beached at several bays on the island of Salamis from Cynosoura to Paloukia. [124] The number of losses then depends on the number of ships the Persian had to begin with; something in the range of 200–300 seems likely, based on the above estimates for the size of the Persian fleet. [135] Thus, this school of thought argues that, given the domination of much of modern history by Western Civilization, Persian domination of Greece might have changed the whole trajectory of human history. The straits of Salamis, between the island of Salamis and the Athenian port city of Piraeus. Cartwright, Mark. [56] Although Themistocles had tried to claim leadership of the fleet, the other city states with navies objected, and so Sparta (which had no naval tradition) was given command of the fleet as a compromise. The September 480 B.C.E. "Battle of Salamis." Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization. Themistocles’ fleet was considerably smaller: c. 300 ships in total. In particular, it specified the main weapon of the final battle, the navy (“a wall of wood”), its place, Salamis, and its time, late September (“when the seed is scattered”). [104] The whole Greek line then followed suit and made straight for the disordered Persian battle line. Original German description of the painting: "Die neue Erfindung, welche Kaulbach für den neuen hohen Beschützer zu zeichnen gedachte, war wahrscheinlich „die Schlacht von Salamis“. by Dept. Behind the main Greek line, the Aegina contingent and some of the Athenian ships waited in reserve. [97] Herodotus has the Allied fleet in a line running north–south, probably with the northern flank off the coast of modern-day Saint George's Islet (Ayios Georgis), and the southern flank off the coast of Cape Vavari (part of Salamis). [17] By early 480 BC, the preparations were complete, and the army which Xerxes had mustered at Sardis marched towards Europe, crossing the Hellespont on two pontoon bridges. [82], The following year, 479 BC, Mardonius recaptured Athens and led the second Achaemenid destruction of Athens (the Allied army still preferring to guard the Isthmus). Battle of Marathon (September 490 BCE), in the Greco-Persian Wars, decisive battle in which the Athenians repulsed the first Persian invasion of Greece. [85], According to Plutarch, the previously undistinguished Cimon "obtained great repute among the Athenians" due to his courage in battle; this reputation later enabled him to launch his political career. At the same time, the Peloponnesians were building a wall to prevent the advance of the Persian army. When Ariabignes attempted to board on their ship, they hit him with their spears, and thrust him into the sea. In 490 BCE Greek forces led by Athens met the Persians at the Battle of Marathon and defeated the invaders. [39] This was exactly the kind of news that Xerxes wanted to hear; that the Athenians might be willing to submit to him, and that he would be able to destroy the rest of the Allied fleet. At the indecisive naval battle of Artemision (also in August 480 BCE), the Greeks held off the superior numbers of the Persian fleet but were obliged to regroup at Salamis. & Rankov, B.R. Herodotus recounts that, according to the Athenians, as the battle began the Corinthians hoisted their sails and began sailing away from the battle, northwards up the straits. By 480 what has Xerxes done? [129] Mardonius handpicked the troops who were to remain with him in Greece, taking the elite infantry units and cavalry, to complete the conquest of Greece. Salamis is an island off the coast of mainland Greece. The Persian king Xerxes was also eager for a decisive battle. Therefore, if Xerxes could destroy the Allied navy, he would be in a strong position to force a Greek surrender; this seemed the only hope of concluding the campaign in that season. Battle of Salamis was one of the final battles in the second war between the Persian Empire led by King Xerxes and an alliance of Greek city-states. The Battle of Salamis is regarded by many historians as one of the most important battles in world history. Herodotus VIII, 84; Macaulay translation cf. [90] Another suggestion is that the heaviness was caused by the weight of fully armored hoplite marines (20 fully armored hoplites would have weighed 2 tons). Xerxes, sitting on Mount Aigaleo on his throne, witnessed the carnage. Figure 3: The battle of Salamis (Map dated 2005) In the morning before the battle there was an earthquake. [142], Naval battle fought between an alliance of Greek city-states and the Persian Empire in 480 BC. [47][104] If the Persians only entered the straits at dawn, then the Allies would have had the time to take up their station in a more orderly fashion.[100]. The battle occurred around September 480 BC. [88] The "better sailing" that Herodotus mentions was probably due to the superior seamanship of the crews;[88] most of the Athenian ships (and therefore the majority of the fleet) were newly built as according to Themistocles' request to the Athenians to build a fleet of 200 triremes in 483 BC, and had inexperienced crews. In 486 BCE Xerxes became king, and he invaded first the Cyclades and then the Greek mainland after victory at Thermopylae in August 480 BCE against a token Greek force. O sons of the Greeks, go, [8] Darius then died whilst preparing to march on Egypt, and the throne of Persia passed to his son Xerxes I. Written by Mark Cartwright, published on 05 May 2013 under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. [103] If Xerxes wanted to trap the Allies completely, this maneuver would have made sense (especially if he was not expecting the Allies to fight). [126] According to Diodorus, Xerxes "put to death those Phoenicians who were chiefly responsible for beginning the flight, and threatened to visit upon the rest the punishment they deserved", causing the Phoenicians to sail to Asia when night fell.[127]. [17] These were both feats of exceptional ambition, which would have been beyond any other contemporary state. Educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and University of Missouri the sea ships. On land required long-term planning, stock-piling and conscription, blocking in the Saronic Gulf, the! World of Ancient Greece least 50,000 fought in September 480 BC BC during Persian. Rowed from Artemisium to Salamis be blocked by the more able commanders ] at... Attempts to conquer Phocis, Boeotia, Attica, and prone to revolts amongst its subject peoples (... 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